1. Field of Invention
This invention relates in general to equipment used in the hydrocarbon industry, and in particular, to systems and methods for hydraulic fracturing operations.
1. Description of the Prior Art
Hydraulic fracturing is a technique used to stimulate production from some hydrocarbon producing wells. The technique usually involves injecting fluid, or slurry, into a wellbore at a pressure sufficient to generate fissures in the formation surrounding the wellbore. The fracturing fluid slurry, whose primary component is usually water, includes proppant (such as sand or ceramic) that migrate into the fractures with the fracturing fluid slurry and remain to prop open the fractures after pressure is no longer applied to the wellbore. Typically hydraulic fracturing fleets include a data van unit, blender unit, hydration unit, chemical additive unit, hydraulic fracturing pump unit, sand equipment, and other equipment.
The fluid used to fracture the formation is typically pumped into the well by high-powered hydraulic fracturing pumps. The pumps in typical fracing operations pump the fluid to a frac pump output header, also known as a missile, which in turn passes the fluid to a hydraulic fracturing manifold. The hydraulic fracturing manifold is located between the missile and a tree (assortment of valves and controls) located above the opening of a well bore. A plurality of dedicated fluid supply lines can connect the hydraulic fracturing manifold to a plurality of wells, with one supply line connected to a tree corresponding to each well. With this arrangement, an operator can use the hydraulic Fracturing manifold to isolate wells as they complete a frac cycle, and to redirect fluid to a different well that is ready to begin a new frac cycle. In some instances, actuated valves can improve transition time, increasing efficiency. Use of a hydraulic fracturing manifold in this manner is known in the industry as “zip” fracking.
One disadvantage to typical hydraulic fracturing spreads is that, when servicing multiple wells, the hydraulic fracturing, or zipper manifold, is typically located near the missile, and some distance from some or all of the wells. Thus, piping connecting the manifold to the trees of individual wells can be lengthy, and include many turns and bends. Such turns and bends lead to inefficiencies, and often require couplings and fittings that add possible failure points to the system.